Hinge construction

ABSTRACT

A hinge assembly for a wing mirror unit for a motor vehicle comprising a central shaft and a mirror housing pivotably arranged around the central shaft. In an embodiment, a bottom surface of the mirror housing is supported on a supporting surface at the base of the central shaft and, through cooperation, first and second run-on surfaces define a predetermined angular position between the central shaft and the mirror housing corresponding to a folded-out position of the mirror housing. In an embodiment, first run-on surfaces are provided on a side of the mirror housing remote from the supporting surface, and second run-on surfaces are connected with the central shaft to be axially compliant and rotation-coupled.

The invention relates to a hinge construction for a wing mirror unit fora motor vehicle, comprising a central shaft and a mirror housingpivotably arranged around the central shaft, wherein a bottom surface ofthe mirror housing is supported on a supporting surface at the foot ofthe central shaft, further comprising first and second run-on surfaceswhich through cooperation define a predetermined angular positionbetween central shaft and mirror housing corresponding to a folded-outposition of the mirror housing.

Such a hinge construction is generally known. Usually, the central shaftis provided with a baseplate as supporting surface. The first run-onsurfaces are then realized by means of cams provided at the bottomsurface of the mirror housing, while the second run-on surfaces arerealized by means of cams which are provided on a baseplate of thecentral shaft.

The central shaft is usually fixedly attached, by way of the baseplate,to the body of the motor vehicle, so that the mirror housing in thefolded-out position extends substantially transversely to the body ofthe motor vehicle.

By means of the hinge construction, the mirror housing can be pivotedrearwards from the folded-out position to a folded-in position, in whichthe mirror housing projects less far and extends in rearward directionmore alongside the body.

Typically, the wing mirror unit comprises an electric drive with whichthe mirror housing is adjustable between the folded-in position and thefolded-out position.

In the known hinge construction, the run-on surfaces cooperate againstthe action of a spring, and the drive is cut off by means of a cut-offcircuit based on a current strength limitation when the run-on surfacescooperate.

A disadvantage of the known hinge construction is that the bottomsurface of the mirror housing and the supporting surface at the base ofthe central shaft can move apart in axial direction as a result of thecooperation of the run-on surfaces. In particular, this can happen as aresult of deceleration when the drive is cut off. As a result, betweenmirror housing and supporting surface, a slit may be formed which causeswind noise. Furthermore, the support of the mirror housing may becomeless stable as a result, so that for instance a mirror glass carried bythe mirror housing can give an undesired vibrating picture duringdriving. Also, the cams of the baseplate need to be able to resist arelatively high surface pressure, so that in practice, for reasons ofstrength, the baseplate is designed as a metal part, which is relativelycostly.

The invention contemplates a hinge construction of the type mentioned inthe opening paragraph hereof, with which the above disadvantages can beobviated. To that end, the hinge construction is characterized accordingto the invention in that the first run-on surfaces are carried on a sideof the mirror housing remote from the supporting surface, in that thesecond run-on surfaces are connected with the central shaft so as to beaxially compliant and rotation-coupled, and in that the supportingsurface at the base of the central shaft and the bottom surface of themirror housing supported thereon are free of run-on surfaces. Bymounting the run-on surfaces on the side of the mirror housing remotefrom the supporting surface, slit formation between mirror housing andsupport plate as a result of the rise of the surfaces can be avoided,and actually the support of the mirror housing on the supporting surfacecan be enhanced. Wind noise and stability problems due to slit formationcan thus be obviated. Furthermore, owing to the run-on surfaces beingplaced elsewhere, the contact surface between the bottom surface of themirror housing and the supporting surface at the base of the centralshaft can be larger, so that the mirror base can be manufactured frommaterial having a lower maximum allowable surface pressure. As a result,the mirror base can for instance be manufactured from plastic material,which can be cheaper than metal.

The axial compliance can for instance be realized by providing thesecond run-on surfaces on a ring arranged around the central shaft so asto be axially slidable and rotation-coupled. The axial compliance of thering can then be limited, for instance, by positioning the ring with astroke limited in axial direction by a stop. The stop can then be fixed,or be under spring action. Alternatively, the ring can also be placeddirectly under axial spring action. Naturally, it is also possible torealize the axial compliance by deformation of the second run-onsurfaces and/or their carrier.

The rotation coupling between the second run-on surfaces and the centralshaft can be designed, for instance, as a rigid rotation coupling, butmay also comprise a disengageable rotation coupling and/or a rotationcoupling with a free stroke.

The axial compliance of the second run-on surfaces with respect to thecentral shaft when the run-on surfaces cooperate can be utilized to cutoff the drive, for instance by establishing or breaking an electriccontact.

Advantageously, a cam ring is provided, arranged around the hinge shaftso as to be axially movable and rotation-coupled, which cam ring isdesigned with a pattern of cams which is distributed irregularly alongthe circumference, which cam ring cooperates with a correspondingpattern of cams on the side of the bottom surface of the mirror housingthat is remote from the supporting surface. The side surfaces of thecams on the cam ring and the mirror housing then form the first andsecond run-on surfaces, respectively. By providing a pattern of camsdistributed irregularly along the circumference, what can be achieved isthat the cam ring and the mirror housing can cooperate with each otheronly in one orientation. If desired, the run-on surfaces can thencooperate without a free stroke in rotational direction. Thus, thecontact surface can be enlarged, so that the surface pressure on therun-on surfaces can be lower, and for instance plastic instead of metalcan be used. The angular adjustment between the mirror housing and thecentral shaft can then be limited, for instance, by means of stop camswithout run-on surfaces, which cooperate with the cam ring.

It is noted that a pattern of cams irregularly distributed along thecircumference can in itself already be used advantageously in a hingeconstruction where the first run-on surfaces are realized by means ofcams provided at the bottom surface of the mirror housing and the secondrun-on surfaces are realized by means of cams provided on a baseplate ofthe central shaft.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in thesubclaims.

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of two exemplaryembodiments which are represented in the drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a hingeconstruction according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of ahinge construction according to the invention in disassembled condition;and

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the hinge construction of FIG. 2 inassembled condition.

The figures are only schematic exemplary embodiments of preferredembodiments of the invention and are given by way of non-limitingexemplary embodiments.

In the drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated with thesame reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a hinge construction 1 for a wing mirror unit for a motorvehicle. The hinge construction 1 comprises a central shaft 2 and amirror housing 3 arranged around the central shaft 2 so as to bepivotable in the direction of the double arrow P1. The bottom surface 4of the mirror housing 3 is supported on a supporting surface 5 at thebase of the central shaft 2.

The hinge construction 1 furthermore comprises first run-on surfaces 6and second run-on surfaces 7 which through cooperation define apredetermined angular position between central shaft 2 and mirrorhousing 3, corresponding to a folded-out position of the mirror housing.In FIG. 1 the hinge construction 1 is shown in the folded-out position.

The first run-on surfaces 6 are provided on a side of the bottom of themirror housing 3 remote from the supporting surface. The second run-onsurfaces 7 are connected with the central shaft 2 in an axiallycompliant and rotation-coupled fashion. The supporting surface 5 at thebase of the central shaft 2 and the bottom surface 4 of the mirrorhousing supported thereon are free of run-on surfaces. Supportingsurface and bottom surface cooperate directly and slitlessly assubstantially flat surfaces.

In the exemplary embodiment represented here, axial compliance isrealized by providing the second run-on surfaces 7 on cam 20 carried bya ring 8 arranged around the central shaft 2 so as to be axiallyslidable and rotation-coupled via keyways 21. The displacement of thering has been limited by positioning ring 8 with a stroke which islimited in axial direction by a stop 9. The stop is under the action ofhelical spring 10 arranged around the central shaft 2. In this exemplaryembodiment, the stop 9 is supported on the central shaft 2 by means of asupport 11.

During the adjustment between the folded-in position and the folded-outposition, the mirror housing 3 is not supported on the supportingsurface 5 under spring action, so that adjustment requires littledriving force. Upon reaching the folded-out position, the run-onsurfaces cooperate, and the ring 8 moves axially along the central shaft2 in upward direction as far as the stop 9.

Further upward movement is checked by the stop 9 being under springaction. As a result, the mirror housing 3 in the folded-out position issupported under spring action on the supporting surface 5.

When an electric drive is used, the drive can for instance be cut off bymeans of a cut-off circuit based on current strength limitation when therun-on surfaces cooperate. Alternatively, the axially upward movement ofthe ring 8 can be utilized to cut off the electric drive by establishingor breaking an electric contact.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a second embodiment which isdesigned with a cam ring 11. The cam ring 11 is arranged around thecentral shaft 2 so as to be axially sidable and rotation-coupled, with afree stroke. The cam ring 11 is designed with a pattern of cams 12distributed irregularly along the circumference. The cam ring 11cooperates with a corresponding pattern of cams 13 on the side of thebottom surface 4 of the mirror housing 3 remote from the supportingsurface 5. The side surfaces of the cams 12, 13 on the cam ring 11 andthe mirror housing 3 form the first run-on surfaces 6 and the secondrun-on surfaces 7, respectively. By the use of the pattern of camsdistributed irregularly along the circumference, cam ring 11 and mirrorhousing 3 can cooperate with each other only in one orientation. In thisexemplary embodiment, the run-on surfaces cooperate without free strokein rotational direction. By the use of such a cam ring, the contactsurface can be enlarged, so that the surface pressure can be relativelylow.

The cam ring is rotation-coupled, with a free stroke, to the centralshaft 2. The angular adjustment between mirror housing 3 and centralshaft 2, upon reaching the folded-out position, is limited by stop cams14, 15 which are designed without run-on surfaces. Then, as in theexemplary embodiment discussed above, due to the rise of the run-onsurfaces 7 the cam ring 11 will move upwards in axial direction until itcomes into contact with a stop. In this exemplary embodiment, the stopis designed as a gear wheel 16 supported under spring action on asupport 11. In this exemplary embodiment, the central shaft 2 isdesigned as an outer shell received in the support surface 5. Throughthis outer shell, an auxiliary shaft can be inserted for carrying thespring, which auxiliary shaft may be provided with a baseplate. It willbe clear that support surface, outer shell and any auxiliary shaft mayalso, if desired, be integrated into a single part.

It is noted that the invention is not limited to the exemplaryembodiments represented here. Many variations are possible within thescope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. A hinge assembly for a wing mirror unit for a motorvehicle, the hinge assembly comprising: a central shaft including a baseand a supporting surface at the base; and a mirror housing pivotablyarranged around the central shaft, the mirror housing having a bottomsurface configured to be supported on the supporting surface; whereinthe mirror housing includes a first run-on surface on a side of themirror housing remote from the support surface; the assembly includes asecond run-on surface connected with the central shaft so as to beaxially compliant and rotation-coupled; and the first and second run-onsurfaces cooperate to define a predetermined angular position betweenthe central shaft and mirror housing corresponding to a folded-outposition of the mirror housing.
 9. The hinge assembly according to claim8, wherein the second run-on surface is provided or carried on a ringarranged around the central shaft so as to be axially slidable androtation-coupled.
 10. The hinge assembly according to claim 9, theassembly including a stop that limits the stroke of the ring in an axialdirection.
 11. The hinge assembly according to claim 10, wherein thering or the stop is under an axial spring force.
 12. The hinge assemblyaccording to claim 8, wherein the rotation coupling between the firstrun-on surface and the central shaft comprises a rotation-coupling witha free stroke.
 13. The hinge assembly according to claim 8, wherein theaxial compliance of the first and second run-on surfaces or theirrespective components relative to the central shaft upon cooperation ofthe first and second run-on surfaces establishes or breaks an electriccontact.
 14. The hinge assembly according to claim 8, the assemblyincluding a cam ring that is arranged about the central shaft to beaxially slidable and rotation-coupled, the cam ring including a patternof cams distributed irregularly along the circumference that cooperatewith a corresponding pattern of cams provided on the side of the bottomsurface of the mirror housing remote from the supporting surface, andwherein the side surfaces of the cams on the mirror housing form thefirst run-on surfaces and the side surfaces of the cams on the ring formthe second run-on surfaces.
 15. A hinge assembly for a wing mirror unitfor a motor vehicle, the hinge assembly comprising: a central shaftincluding a base and a supporting surface at the base; a mirror housingpivotably arranged around the central shaft, the mirror housing having abottom surface configured to be supported on the supporting surface andincluding first run-on surfaces on a side of the mirror housing remotefrom the support surface; and a cam ring arranged about the centralshaft to be axially slidable and rotation-coupled, the cam ringincluding second run-on surfaces; wherein the first and second run-onsurfaces cooperate to define a predetermined angular position betweenthe central shaft and mirror housing corresponding to a folded-outposition of the mirror housing.
 16. The hinge assembly according toclaim 15, wherein the first run-on surfaces comprise a plurality ofcams, the second run-on surfaces comprise a plurality of cams, and thesecond run-on surfaces are distributed irregularly along thecircumference of the cam.
 17. The hinge assembly according to claim 15,wherein the cam ring includes a stop that limits the stroke of the ringin an axial direction.
 18. The hinge assembly according to claim 17,wherein the cam ring or stop is under an axial spring force.
 19. Thehinge assembly according to claim 15, wherein the rotation couplingbetween the first run-on surfaces and the central shaft comprises arotation-coupling with a free stroke.
 20. The hinge assembly accordingto claim 15, wherein the axial compliance of the first and second run-onsurfaces or their respective components relative to the central shaftupon cooperation of the first and second run-on surfaces establishes orbreaks an electric contact.